Surprise! The Robot Marathon turned into a “Wrestling Competition”, and Yushu Technology’s response left the internet in stitches.
When robots step onto the marathon track, what image comes to your mind? Is it mechanical strides in perfect unison, speeding forward, or effortlessly overcoming obstacles with a sense of technology? However, reality played a cruel joke on everyone during the world’s first humanoid robot half marathon, where numerous issues arose, and the “falling” performance of Yushu Technology’s G1 robot became the focal point, with their subsequent response making netizens laugh uncontrollably!
On April 19, this highly anticipated robot marathon kicked off in Beijing’s Yizhuang. Twenty robot teams competed alongside human participants, which should have been a highlight moment of perfect integration between technology and sports, but instead turned into a hilarious “comedy feast”. In the footage, the Yushu Technology G1 humanoid robot, which had previously showcased high-difficulty moves like “carp jumping” and “side flips” on the Spring Festival Gala stage, faced continuous mishaps right from the start. Just a few steps into the race, it fell flat on the ground, resembling a child just learning to walk, which was hard to suppress laughter over. After struggling to get back up, its running posture was also wobbly and unsteady, making it stand out awkwardly compared to the other robots that moved with relative stability, effectively becoming the “comic relief” of the competition.
This embarrassing scene quickly went viral online, with netizens starting to roast the situation. Some joked, “Did this robot drink too much? Why does it run like it’s stepping on cotton?” Others questioned the stability of Yushu’s robots: “Was the stunning performance during the Spring Festival just a ‘photo trick’? Why is it so unreliable in reality?” Amidst the uproar, Yushu Technology couldn’t sit idly by and quickly released a statement in response. The content of this response had netizens laughing out loud. Yushu stated that they had been focused on live-streaming humanoid robot combat recently and had not participated in this competition at all. The Yushu robot that appeared in this marathon was sold to numerous clients worldwide after being shipped last year, and several independent teams used their robots to compete, employing their own developed algorithms. Implicitly, they suggested that the robot’s poor performance was not their fault, but rather an issue with the users and the algorithms. This “passing the buck” response made netizens exclaim, “This operation is too skillful, they pushed the responsibility away cleanly!”
In fact, Yushu Technology was not the only one to “fall” during this competition. The entire venue resembled a large “accident scene”, with issues arising frequently. Some robots suddenly lost their heads mid-run, creating a terrifying yet humorous scene dubbed “headless running” by netizens; others fell apart, scattering parts everywhere, resembling a game where “gear explodes”; and some robots unexpectedly stopped running, standing still as if lost in deep thought about their “robotic mission”. These “falling moments” were precisely captured by live-streaming cameras and quickly went viral across major social platforms, becoming popular topics of conversation among netizens.
Although the competition was filled with surprises and laughter, looking at it from another angle, these “falling” moments are valuable assets on the road to robot technology development. The various issues exposed by robots during complex terrain and prolonged movement provide researchers with a wealth of data and directions for improvement. Just like humans learn to run through countless falls, the development of robots cannot be achieved overnight; it requires continuous trial and error and constant improvement. This competition undoubtedly sounded an alarm for the robotics industry, making everyone realize that there is still a long way to go for robotic technology to reach mature applications. It encourages researchers to delve deeper into key technologies such as motion control, stability, and energy endurance, pushing the industry to continue advancing.
What are your thoughts on robots participating in marathons? Do you think robots will truly shine in sports events in the future, or will they continue to face issues? Feel free to share your views in the comments!